Display device, electronic apparatus, and method of fabricating the display device

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to provide a technique to manufacture a display device with high image quality and high reliability at low cost with high yield. The invention has spacers over a pixel electrode layer in a pixel region and over an insulating layer functioning as a partition which covers the periphery of the pixel electrode layer. When forming a light emitting material over a pixel electrode layer, a mask for selective formation is supported by the spacers, thereby preventing the mask from contacting the pixel electrode layer due to a twist and deflection thereof. Accordingly, such damage as a crack by the mask does not occur in the pixel electrode layer. Thus, the pixel electrode layer does not have a defect in shapes, thereby a display device which performs a high resolution display with high reliability can be manufactured.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device comprising a display portion, the display portion comprising:
 a flexible substrate; 
 a semiconductor layer over the flexible substrate; 
 a first insulating layer over the semiconductor layer; 
 a gate electrode layer over the first insulating layer; 
 a second insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, the second insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen; 
 a third insulating layer over the second insulating layer, the third insulating layer comprising silicon and oxygen; 
 a conductive layer over the third insulating layer, the conductive layer being electrically connected to the semiconductor layer through a hole in the third insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the first insulating layer; 
 a fourth insulating layer over the conductive layer; 
 a light-emitting element over the fourth insulating layer, the light-emitting element comprising:
 a first electrode layer over the conductive layer and the fourth insulating layer; 
 a first layer over the first electrode layer, the first layer comprising an organic material; and 
 a second electrode layer over the first layer; 
 
 a fifth insulating layer covering an end portion of the first electrode layer; 
 a sixth insulating layer over the fifth insulating layer; and 
 a seventh insulating layer over the second electrode layer, the seventh insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen, 
 wherein the first insulating layer is in direct contact with the second insulating layer, 
 wherein the first layer is provided over the fifth insulating layer, and 
 wherein the second electrode layer is provided over the sixth insulating layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sixth insulating layer comprises an organic resin material. 
     
     
       3. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fifth insulating layer and the sixth insulating layer comprise the same organic resin material. 
     
     
       4. A display module comprising the display device according to  claim 1 , comprising an FPC. 
     
     
       5. An electronic apparatus comprising the display device according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one of an antenna, a battery, and an operation key. 
     
     
       6. A display device comprising a display portion, the display portion comprising:
 a flexible substrate; 
 a semiconductor layer over the flexible substrate; 
 a first insulating layer over and in direct contact with the semiconductor layer; 
 a gate electrode layer over and in direct contact with the first insulating layer; 
 a second insulating layer over and in direct contact with the gate electrode layer, the second insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen; 
 a third insulating layer over and in direct contact with the second insulating layer, the third insulating layer comprising silicon and oxygen; 
 a conductive layer over the third insulating layer, the conductive layer being electrically connected to the semiconductor layer through a hole in the third insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the first insulating layer; 
 a fourth insulating layer over the conductive layer; 
 a light-emitting element over the fourth insulating layer, the light-emitting element comprising:
 a first electrode layer over and in direct contact with the conductive layer and the fourth insulating layer; 
 a first layer over the first electrode layer, the first layer comprising an organic material; and 
 a second electrode layer over the first layer; 
 
 a fifth insulating layer covering an end portion of the first electrode layer; 
 a sixth insulating layer over and in direct contact with the fifth insulating layer; and 
 a seventh insulating layer over the second electrode layer, the seventh insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen, 
 wherein the first insulating layer is in direct contact with the second insulating layer, 
 wherein the first layer is provided over the fifth insulating layer, and 
 wherein the second electrode layer is provided over the sixth insulating layer. 
 
     
     
       7. The display device according to  claim 6 , wherein the sixth insulating layer comprises an organic resin material. 
     
     
       8. The display device according to  claim 6 , wherein the fifth insulating layer and the sixth insulating layer comprise the same organic resin material. 
     
     
       9. A display module comprising the display device according to  claim 6 , comprising an FPC. 
     
     
       10. An electronic apparatus comprising the display device according to  claim 6 , comprising at least one of an antenna, a battery, and an operation key. 
     
     
       11. A display device comprising a display portion, the display portion comprising:
 a flexible substrate; 
 a semiconductor layer over the flexible substrate; 
 a first insulating layer over and in direct contact with the semiconductor layer; 
 a gate electrode layer over and in direct contact with the first insulating layer; 
 a second insulating layer over and in direct contact with the gate electrode layer, the second insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen; 
 a third insulating layer over and in direct contact with the second insulating layer, the third insulating layer comprising silicon and oxygen; 
 a conductive layer over the third insulating layer, the conductive layer being electrically connected to the semiconductor layer through a hole in the third insulating layer, the second insulating layer, and the first insulating layer; 
 a fourth insulating layer over the conductive layer; 
 a light-emitting element over the fourth insulating layer, the light-emitting element comprising:
 a first electrode layer over and in direct contact with the conductive layer and the fourth insulating layer; 
 a first layer over the first electrode layer, the first layer comprising an organic material; and 
 a second electrode layer over the first layer; 
 
 a fifth insulating layer covering an end portion of the first electrode layer; 
 a sixth insulating layer over and in direct contact with the fifth insulating layer; and 
 a seventh insulating layer over the second electrode layer, the seventh insulating layer comprising silicon and nitrogen, 
 wherein the first insulating layer is in direct contact with the second insulating layer, 
 wherein the first layer is provided over the fifth insulating layer, 
 wherein the second electrode layer is provided over the sixth insulating layer, and 
 wherein the display portion comprises a curved portion. 
 
     
     
       12. The display device according to  claim 11 , wherein the sixth insulating layer comprises an organic resin material. 
     
     
       13. The display device according to  claim 11 , wherein the fifth insulating layer and the sixth insulating layer comprise the same organic resin material. 
     
     
       14. A display module comprising the display device according to  claim 11 , comprising an FPC. 
     
     
       15. An electronic apparatus comprising the display device according to  claim 11 , comprising at least one of an antenna, a battery, and an operation key.